In February, the independent Italian game studio Caracal Games launched the GB Archive — an initiative to bring more homebrew Game Boy games to other consoles. I have partnered with them to help spread the word. After a few weeks helping to prepare for the first official release, I interviewed Tommaso Bonanni, the head of Caracal Games, about the initiative.
GBSC: Why is homebrew on the Game Boy important to you?
Bonanni: Game Boy homebrew represents one of the purest forms of game design still alive today. Working within such strict technical constraints forces a level of clarity and intentionality that is often lost in modern development.
For us, those limitations are not a drawback, but a creative framework. They strip away excess and push developers to focus on what truly matters: strong mechanics, readable systems and meaningful player interaction. Every decision carries weight, and that leads to games with a very distinct identity.
At the same time, we don’t see this scene as purely nostalgic. It’s an active, evolving ecosystem. Developers are still experimenting, discovering new techniques and finding ways to express ideas within the hardware’s boundaries. That combination of historical context and ongoing creativity is exactly what makes it worth supporting and preserving.
GBSC: What is the GB Archive?
Bonanni: The GB Archive is an initiative focused on preserving, curating and redistributing Game Boy homebrew games by bringing them onto modern platforms.
Rather than acting as a simple collection, the archive is structured as a curated space where selected titles are given a second life. Many of these games would otherwise remain confined to a niche audience, limited by access to original hardware or specific communities.
Our goal is to extend their reach without altering their nature. We want these projects to be experienced by a broader audience while retaining the identity they were built with. In that sense, the archive sits at the intersection of preservation, publishing and cultural curation.
GBSC: How does the GB Archive work?
Bonanni: The archive operates as a curated pipeline between homebrew developers and modern distribution platforms.
Developers can submit their Game Boy projects, and we then evaluate which titles are a good fit for the archive. Selected games undergo a process that includes technical adaptation to modern hardware, quality assurance, and preparation for commercial release.
We handle the entire publishing side, building on our previous experience in bringing Game Boy titles to consoles. This includes platform compliance, storefront presence, and positioning within a broader catalog.
The key point is that developers don’t need to shift away from Game Boy development. They can continue working within that ecosystem while we bridge the gap to a global audience.
GBSC: What is Caracal Games’ background, or lore, if you will?
Bonanni: We are an independent studio founded in 2015, working across PC, consoles and more experimental spaces, including retro hardware and physical releases.
From the beginning, we’ve been interested in exploring the relationship between constraints and creativity. That naturally led us to projects involving legacy hardware like the Game Boy, not as a nostalgic exercise, but as a deliberate design choice.
With releases like Moon Escape, developed for Game Boy and then brought to modern platforms, we’ve already explored how these two worlds can coexist. That experience shaped the foundation of the GB Archive.
The archive is not a departure from what we’ve been doing, but an extension of it. It formalizes a process that we’ve already tested and turns it into a platform that other developers can access.
GBSC: How successful were your previous GB releases on consoles?
Bonanni: Our previous Game Boy releases on modern platforms demonstrated that there is a real and engaged audience for this type of experience.
This response validated an important idea: these games are not just appreciated as retro curiosities. They stand on their own as focused, well-defined experiences that can coexist with contemporary titles.
That validation is a key reason why we decided to invest further in this space through the archive.
GBSC: How do you choose which games to put into the archive?
Bonanni: Curation is a central part of the archive, and it’s something we approach with a clear set of priorities.
We’re not simply looking for technically impressive projects. What matters most is whether a game has a strong identity and a clear design intent. That can manifest in different ways: a particularly refined mechanic, a cohesive aesthetic, or a unique perspective.
We also consider how well a game can resonate outside of the core homebrew community. Some projects are interesting from a technical or experimental standpoint, but don’t translate as effectively to a broader audience.
The goal is to build a catalog that feels intentional and coherent, where each title contributes meaning rather than merely adding volume.
GBSC: What can developers expect from joining the archive?
Bonanni: Developers can expect both support and amplification.
On a practical level, we take care of the technical and publishing challenges involved in bringing a Game Boy title to modern platforms. That includes adaptation, certification processes and distribution.
Beyond that, we provide context. Being part of the archive means being positioned within a curated selection, rather than existing in isolation. That can significantly increase visibility and help the game reach players who would not normally engage with the homebrew scene.
For many developers, this is also an opportunity to see their project evolve into a fully realized commercial release, without compromising its original vision.
GBSC: When will the archive have achieved its goal?
Bonanni: We don’t see the archive as something with a fixed endpoint. As long as developers continue creating new Game Boy games, there will always be new work to preserve, curate and share. In that sense, the archive is closer to an ongoing process than a project with a clear conclusion.
Our goal is not to “complete” the archive, but to make it sustainable. If we can maintain a steady flow of quality releases and continue supporting the community over time, then the archive is fulfilling its purpose.
GBSC: What does the future of the archive look like?
Bonanni: If the archive grows as we expect, it can become a reference point for Game Boy homebrew on modern platforms. That means expanding the catalog, strengthening relationships with developers, and refining the pipeline to make the process smoother and more accessible. Over time, this could also lead to more intentional collaborations, where projects are developed with the archive in mind from the start.
More broadly, we see the archive not just as a preservation effort, but as something that can influence the ecosystem itself. By giving these games a wider audience, we also create new incentives and new directions for developers working within the Game Boy space. The long-term value lies in that feedback loop between creation, curation, and distribution.
A scene from Traumatarium on Switch
Traumatarium gameplay on Nintendo Switch
If you have a homebrew Game Boy game and are interested in being part of the Archive, send your pitch to Caracal Games via email or on their website.
Passionate Homebrew Developer, Game Dev Graduate, YouTuber, Artist, Musician and lover of all things retro.
